Raptors-Pistons Preview

By JORDAN GARRETSONPosted Apr 12 2014 5:40PM

The Toronto Raptors have won their second Atlantic Division title, though the clincher didn't come in the fashion they hoped.

Heading for their sixth playoff appearance in 19 seasons of existence, they still have a chance to enter the postseason with plenty of momentum.

They hope to bounce back and win for the eighth time in 10 games when they visit the Detroit Pistons on Sunday.

Toronto (46-33) squandered its chance to clinch the Atlantic on its own Friday, losing 108-100 at home to New York. Atlanta's 93-88 victory over Brooklyn later in the evening gave them their first division crown since 2006-07.

Kyle Lowry, who had 25 points two nights after scoring 29 in his return from a three-game absence due to a sore knee, described the night as "sweet and sour." The Raptors fell a game behind Chicago for the third seed in the Eastern Conference with the Bulls' victory over Detroit.

Toronto made a season high-tying 15 3-pointers on 33 attempts, but shot 34.9 percent from inside the arc, their second-lowest mark of the season.

DeMar DeRozan scored 26 points but was 6 of 18 from the field, while Terrence Ross was 4 for 12.

"It felt great to win the division," said DeRozan, 17 for 51 over his last three games. "I don't think anybody would have picked us to win it, so that's definitely a great accomplishment. We're still anxious, we still want more."

Toronto and Chicago's remaining schedules don't figure to be overly challenging, though the Raptors' final three games may be slightly more forgiving. They host last-place Milwaukee on Monday and visit the Knicks on Wednesday, while Chicago plays at New York on Sunday before hosting Orlando and visiting Charlotte.

The Pistons have lost two straight and 12 of 16 with opponents scoring 110.6 points and shooting 50.2 percent in the last nine games.

Andre Drummond scored 26 points and matched a career high with 26 rebounds - 19 in the first two periods - to help Detroit to an 18-point halftime lead at Chicago on Friday. The Bulls, though, went on a 15-0 run to overtake the Pistons and outscored them 36-18 in the final period for a 106-98 victory.

Drummond has averaged 19.6 points, 19.0 rebounds and 68.9 percent shooting in his last five. He has 55 double-doubles, trailing only Kevin Love (62) for the NBA lead.

Detroit's Josh Smith is expected to be a game-time decision after missing three straight games with left patella tendinitis.

Toronto has gone 59 for 132 (44.7 percent) from 3-point range over its last five games, while Detroit has allowed four of its last five opponents to hit at least nine 3-pointers.

The Raptors have won four of five in the series, including two meetings this season by a combined 35 points.

Copyright 2014 by STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited

Raptors blow lead but still beat Pistons 116-107

By NOAH TRISTERPosted Apr 13 2014 8:08PM

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) Kyle Lowry picked up his fifth foul at around the midway point of the fourth quarter - then was called for his sixth 20 seconds later.

It was the type of mistake that could prove costly for Toronto in the playoffs, but this time the Raptors were able to overcome it.

DeMar DeRozan scored 14 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter, and the Raptors tied a franchise record for victories with a 116-107 win over the Detroit Pistons on Sunday. Lowry scored 28 points before fouling out with 5:51 remaining.

"I was just glad the guys won it without me," Lowry said. "DeMar was rested going into the fourth quarter, and he really took over down the stretch. That's what happens when he is aggressive - he can take over a game."

The Raptors (47-33) had already clinched the Atlantic Division, and the victory over Detroit was their 10th in 14 games. Toronto has reached the 47-win mark for the third time. The Raptors went 47-35 in 2001 and 2007.

Andre Drummond had 14 points and 17 rebounds for the Pistons in the final home game of their dismal season. Detroit's Josh Smith missed a fourth straight game with tendinitis in his left knee.

Detroit trailed by as many as 18 in the first half but rallied to take the lead late in the third quarter. But no matter what the Pistons did, DeRozan always seemed to have an answer in the fourth.

"I understood if we were going to win the game, then I had to step it up," DeRozan said. "I just tried to make plays for us and get a couple of easy baskets."

DeRozan's three-point play put the Raptors ahead 97-95 and started an 11-2 run. His emphatic, right-handed dunk made it 107-99 and thrilled the vocal contingent of Toronto fans who were in attendance.

"The fans were unbelievable," Lowry said. "I've never heard anything like that, especially not here."

The Raptors shot 74 percent from the field during a brilliant first quarter and looked headed for a blowout. A three-point play by Terrence Ross put Toronto up 20-5, and an alley-oop to DeRozan made it 28-12.

It was 42-26 at the end of the quarter, and DeRozan's four-point play early in the second made it 46-28.

"We had no rhythm early on and we didn't guard. You give a team 42 points in the first quarter, I don't know what your chance of winning is, but I would think in this league it's pretty low," Pistons interim coach John Loyer said. "Then you really have to fight uphill the whole way. But to our guys' credit, they fought an uphill battle."

The Pistons trailed 63-49 at halftime but made a game of it by outscoring Toronto 37-24 in the third. Detroit dominated the boards, finishing with 21 offensive rebounds. Greg Monroe had 23 points and 10 rebounds.

Lowry's fifth foul came with 6:11 remaining. He then fouled out going after a rebound on a missed shot by DeRozan. The Pistons couldn't take advantage, though.

After a free throw by Drummond cut Detroit's deficit to two, Jonas Valanciunas answered with a free throw and Ross made a 3-pointer for the Raptors. A layup by Patrick Patterson made it 105-97.

NOTES: Detroit's Tony Mitchell had four fouls in 6:16 of playing time in the first quarter. Then he didn't play again until the final minute of the fourth. ... The Pistons weren't thrilled with the officiating early. Monroe was called for a technical foul in the first, and Detroit was charged with a team technical in the second. ... Toronto has scored at least 100 points in six straight games.

Copyright 2014 by STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited

Notebook: Raptors 116, Pistons 107

THE FACT: Toronto tied the franchise record for regular-season wins with its victory on Sunday. It also reached 47 victories in 2000-01 and 2006-07.

THE LEAD: Shooting guard DeMar DeRozan had 30 points to lead the Toronto Raptors to a 116-107 win over the Detroit Pistons on Sunday afternoon at The Palace. Point guard Kyle Lowry had 28 points and seven assists before fouling out for the Raptors, who have won five of their last six games. Toronto center Jonas Valanciunas added 18 points. Power forward Greg Monroe led the Pistons with 23 points and 10 rebounds and guard Rodney Stuckey had 18 points.

QUOTABLE: "It definitely means a lot. If you really sit down and look at it, that's big, to be tied with the franchise record and have a chance to break it. We've come a long way. A lot of people wouldn't have counted us to be in the position we're in now. It's definitely a credit to our hard work, both the players and the coaching staff."-- DeRozan on his team tying the franchise record for victories.

THE STAT: 28.6 percent. The league's best offensive rebounding team was strong in that department once again but didn't take full advantage of those opportunities. The Pistons had 21 offensive rebounds but only converted on six of them (28.6 percent). Detroit's 17-5 advantage in second-chance points should have been much larger and those missed putbacks proved costly.

TURNING POINT: Lowry fouled out with 5:51 remaining but the Raptors, who were up by just two points, quickly reeled off six unanswered points. The key basket during that sequence was forward Terrence Ross' lone 3-point make of the game. Toronto led by at least six the rest of the game.

HOT: DeRozan reached the 30-point mark for the 17th time this season, including a 14-point, fourth-quarter blitz. He made 10-of-19 field-goal tries and even knocked down two of his four 3-point attempts, a good percentage for a player who normally shoots 30.1 percent from long range. Perhaps just a valuable was his steady hands. He didn't commit a turnover in 38 minutes.

NOT: Detroit's guards -- Brandon Jennings, Peyton Siva, Rodney Stuckey and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope -- faltered down the stretch. They combined to shoot 3-for-1 from the field in the fourth quarter.

QUOTABLE II: "After all is said and done, we'll go back and look at it. It's really cool. It's something we didn't discuss or shoot for but I'm sure after the season we'll look up on that."-- Lowry on tying the franchise record for wins.

ROOKIE WATCH: The Pistons used four of their rookies extensively off the bench. Siva had nine points and four assists in 20 minutes; Caldwell-Pope contributed four points in 15 minutes; Gigi Datome failed to score but grabbed four rebounds and added two assists in 13 minutes; and Tony Mitchell had two points, three rebounds and two steals in the first quarter.

NOTABLE: Toronto's 42 first-quarter points were a Raptors' season high for any quarter. ... Mitchell committed four fouls in the first quarter. ... Pistons center Andre Drummond had 14 points and 17 rebounds despite early foul trouble. Drummond's 56 double-doubles ties him with BillLaimbeer for the second most by a Piston since the 1984-85 season. Isiah Thomas had 65 that season. ... Pistons forward Josh Smith missed his fourth consecutive game with left patella tendinitis. ... Toronto forward Landry Fields did not make the trip because of flu-like symptoms. ... The Pistons went 17-24 at home this season. They have finished at least five games below .500 at home in three of the last five seasons. ... Toronto swept the season series for the first time since the 2009-10 season.

UP NEXT: For the Raptors, Monday vs. Milwaukee, Wednesday @ New York. For the Pistons, Wednesday @ Oklahoma City.